Methods of forming capacitors

ABSTRACT

In one aspect, the invention includes an etching process, comprising: a) providing a first material over a substrate, the first material comprising from about 2% to about 20% carbon (by weight); b) providing a second material over the first material; and c) etching the second material at a faster rate than the first material. In another aspect, the invention includes a capacitor forming method, comprising: a) forming a wordline over a substrate; b) defining a node proximate the wordline; c.) forming an etch stop layer over the wordline, the etch stop layer comprising carbon; d) forming an insulative layer over the etch stop layer; e) etching through the insulative layer to the etch stop layer to form an opening through the insulative layer; and e) forming a capacitor construction comprising a storage node, dielectric layer and second electrode, at least a portion of the capacitor construction being within the opening. In yet another aspect, the invention includes a semiconductive material assembly, comprising: a) a semiconductive substrate; and b) a layer over the semiconductive substrate, the layer comprising silicon, nitrogen and carbon.

RELATED PATENT DATA

This patent resulted from a divisional application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/175,051, which was filed on Oct. 19, 1998 nowU.S. Pat. No. 6,251,802.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention pertains to etching processes and semiconductive materialassemblies, and has particular application to capacitors and DRAMS, aswell as to methods of forming capacitors and DRAMs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Modern semiconductor device fabrication processes frequently utilizeselective etching conditions during fabrication of semiconductordevices. Selective etching conditions will etch one material morerapidly than another. The material that is etched most rapidly can bereferred to as a sacrificial material, and that which is etched lessrapidly can be referred to as a protective (or etch stop) material.Selective etching can be utilized in, for example, processes in which itis desired to protect a portion of a semiconductive wafer from etchingconditions while etching through another portion of the wafer. Exampleselective etching conditions are dry etch conditions selective foretching silicon oxide relative to silicon nitride. Such exampleselective etching conditions are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,344,which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Many selective etching methods currently practiced generally haveselectivities of about 10:1 or less. In other words, the etch conditionswill selectively etch a first (sacrificial) material at a rate that isless than or equal to about twice as fast as that at which a second(protective) material is etched. At selectivities of 10:1 or less, thereis a constant risk that the protective material will be etched entirelyaway s during the etching of the sacrificial material. Accordingly, itwould be desirable to develop alternative methods of selective etchinghaving selectivities of greater than 10:1.

A possible mechanism by which selectivity can occur is through selectivepolymer formation on the protective material during etching of it andthe sacrificial material. For instance, etching of silicon oxide andsilicon nitride under conditions such as those described in U.S. Pat.No. 5,286,344 may create a carbonaceous polymer on the silicon nitridewhich protects the silicon nitride during etching of the silicon oxide.The carbon contained in the carbonaceous polymer can originate from, forexample, etchant materials (either gas, liquid or plasma materials),such as, for example, the CH₂F₂ and CHF₃ described in U.S. Pat. No.5,286,344. When silicon oxide, such as BPSG is selectively etchedrelative to silicon nitride, the carbon will frequently originate atleast in part from etching of the BPSG. Thus, less selectivity isobtained when less BPSG is etched relative to an amount of siliconnitride exposed to the etching conditions. Accordingly, thin layers ofBPSG can be more difficult to etch than thicker layers. Many selectiveetching methods are non-effective for selectively etching BPSG relativeto silicon nitride when the BPSG layers have thicknesses of less than orequal to about 1.3 microns.

An exemplary application of selective etching is a dynamic random accessmemory (DRAM) forming process. Referring to FIG. 1, a DRAM constructionis illustrated with respect to a semiconductive wafer fragment 10. Waferfragment 10 comprises a substrate 12. Substrate 12 can be, for example,a monocrystalline wafer lightly doped with a p-type background dopant.To aid in interpretation of the claims that follow, the term“semiconductive substrate” is defined to mean any constructioncomprising semiconductive material, including, but not limited to, bulksemiconductive materials such as a semiconductive wafer (either alone orin assemblies comprising other materials thereon), and semiconductivematerial layers (either alone or in assemblies comprising othermaterials). The term “substrate” refers to any supporting structure,including, but not limited to, the semiconductive substrates describedabove.

Field oxide regions 15 overlie substrate 12, and node locations 14, 16,and 18 are between the field oxide regions. The node locations containdiffusion regions conductively doped with a conductivity-enhancingdopant.

Wordlines 20 and 22 overlie over substrate 12. Wordlines 20 and 22comprise a gate oxide layer 24 and a conductive layer 26. Gate oxidelayer 24 can comprise, for example, silicon dioxide. Conductive layer 26can comprise, for example, conductively doped polysilicon capped with ametal silicide, such as, for example, tungsten silicide or titaniumsilicide. Wordlines 20 and 22 have opposing sidewall edges, and sidewallspacers 28 and 30 extend along such sidewall edges. An etch stop layer32 extends over wordlines 20 and 22. Etch stop layer 32 can comprise,for example, silicon nitride. Although not shown, an insulative layermay be placed between etch stop layer 32 and conductive layer 26. Suchinsulative layer can comprise, for example, silicon oxide or siliconnitride.

An insulative layer 34 is provided over substrate 12 and over wordlines20 and 22. Insulative layer 34 can comprise, for example,borophosphosilicate glass (BPSG).

Capacitor constructions 36 and 38 extend through insulative layer 34 tocontact node locations 14 and 18, respectively. Capacitor constructions36 and 38 comprise a storage node (first electrode) 40, a dielectriclayer 42, and a second electrode 44. Storage node 40 and secondelectrode 44 can comprise, for example, conductively doped silicon suchas conductively doped polysilicon. Dielectric layer 42 can comprise, forexample, silicon dioxide and/or silicon nitride. Although all of layers40, 42 and 44 are shown extending within openings in layer 34, it isnoted that other capacitor constructions are known wherein some or noneof the storage node, dielectric, and second electrode layers extendwithin an opening.

A bit line contact 46 also extends through insulative layer 34, andcontacts node location 16. Bit line contact 46 is in gated electricalconnection with capacitor construction 36 through wordline 20, and ingated electrical connection with capacitor 38 through wordline 22. Bitline contact 46 can comprise, for example, tungsten, titanium, and/ortitanium nitride. Although not shown, a diffusion barrier layer, suchas, for example, titanium nitride, can be formed between bit linecontact 46 and the diffusion region of node location 16.

A second insulative layer 48 extends over capacitor constructions 36 and38, and electrically isolates second electrodes 44 from bit line contact46. Second insulative layer 48 can comprise the same material as firstinsulative layer 34. Second insulative layer 48 can comprise, forexample, silicon dioxide, BPSG, or silicon nitride.

A bit line 50 extends over second insulative layer 48 and in electricalconnection with bit line contact 46. Accordingly, bit line contact 46electrically connects bit line 50 to node location 16. Bit line 50 cancomprise, for example, aluminum, copper, or an alloy of aluminum andcopper.

A method of forming the DRAM construction of FIG. 1 is described withreference to FIGS. 2-3. FIG. 2 illustrates semiconductive wafer fragment10 at a preliminary processing step. Etch stop layer 32 extends overwordlines 20 and 22, and over node locations 14, 16 and 18. Insulativelayer 34 extends over etch stop layer 32, and a patterned photoresistmasking layer 60 is provided over insulative layer 34. Patternedphotoresist layer 60 defines an opening 62 which is to be extended tonode location 16 for ultimate formation of bit line contact 46 therein.

Referring to FIG. 3, opening 62 is extended to etch stop layer 32. Theetch utilized to extend opening 62 is preferably selective for thematerial of layer 34 relative to that of layer 32. For instance, iflayer 34 comprises BPSG and layer 32 comprises nitride, the etch canutilize a fluorocarbon material such as one or more of the materialsdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,344.

After selectively etching to layer 32, subsequent anisotropic etching oflayer 32 can occur to extend opening 62 to node location 16. Suchextended opening can be described to as a “self-aligned contactopening”, referring to the fact that the opening is aligned withsidewall edges of wordlines 20 and 22.

After opening 62 is extended to node location 16, photoresist layer 60(FIG. 2) can be removed, and subsequent processing utilized for formingbit line contact 46 within opening 62. Also, similar etching describedabove for formation of bit line contact opening 62 can be utilized toform openings to node locations 14 and 18 for formation of capacitorconstructions 36 and 38, respectively, therein. In the shown fabricationprocess, bit line contact opening 62 is formed prior to forming openingsfor capacitor constructions 36 to 38. However, other fabricationprocesses are known wherein openings for the capacitor constructions areformed either before, or simultaneously with, formation of the openingfor the bit line contact.

FIG. 3 illustrates an idealized selective etch, wherein the etch stopssubstantially entirely upon reaching etch stop layer 32. However, asdiscussed above, prior art etching processes are typically only abouttwo times more selective for sacrificial materials (the material oflayer 34) than for protective materials (the material of layer 32).Accordingly, the selective etches do not generally stop substantiallyentirely upon reaching etch stop layer 32, but rather continue at aslower rate upon reaching layer 32.

FIG. 4 illustrates a prior art problem which can occur as a result ofthe continued etching of layer 32. Specifically, layer 32 can becomethinned to an extent that one or both of sidewalls 28 and 30 are exposedto the etching conditions. Such exposure can lead to etching through thesidewall spacers to expose conductive material 26. In a particularly badscenario, conductive layer 26 is then shorted to bit line contact 46when the conductive material of bit line contact 46 is formed withinopening 62. Also, the thinning of etch stop layer 32 can lead tounpredictability during a subsequent etch of layer 32 to expose nodelocation 16. Specifically, it is unknown how long to continue asubsequent etch. If the etch continues for too long the etch canundesirably penetrate into substrate 12, and possibly through thediffusion region at node location 16.

For the above-discussed reasons, it is desired to develop alternativemethods for selectively etching materials wherein the selectivity of anetch for a given material is improved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention encompasses an etching process. A firstmaterial is provided over a substrate. The first material comprises fromabout 2% to about 20% carbon (by weight). A second material is providedover the first material. The second material is etched at a faster ratethan the first material.

In another aspect, the invention encompasses a capacitor forming method.A wordline is formed over a substrate and has a sidewall. An insulativespacer is formed along the sidewall. A node is defined proximate thewordline. An etch stop layer is formed over the wordline and over theinsulative spacer. At least one of the etch stop layer and theinsulative spacer comprises carbon. An insulative layer is formed overthe etch stop layer. The insulative layer is etched to form an openingthrough the insulative layer and to the etch stop layer. A capacitorconstruction is formed. The capacitor construction comprises a storagenode, dielectric layer and a second electrode. At least a portion of thecapacitor construction is within the opening.

In yet another aspect, the invention encompasses a DRAM forming method.A pair of wordlines are formed over a substrate. Three nodes are definedproximate the wordlines. The three nodes comprise a first node, secondnode and third node. The second node is in gated electrical connectionwith the first node through one of the wordlines and in gated electricalconnection with the third node through the other of the wordlines. Anetch stop is formed proximate the wordlines. The etch stop comprisescarbon. An insulative layer is formed over the etch stop. A first,second and third opening are formed to extend through the insulativelayer. The forming the first second and third openings comprises etchingthrough the insulative layer to the etch stop. A first capacitorconstruction is formed in electrical connection with the first node, asecond capacitor construction is formed in electrical connection withthe third node, and a bit line contact is formed in electricalconnection with the second node.

In other aspects, the invention includes semiconductive materialassemblies, capacitor constructions and DRAM constructions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below withreference to the following accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, diagrammatic, cross-sectional view of asemiconductive wafer fragment comprising a prior art DRAM assembly.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional, diagrammatic view of asemiconductive wafer fragment at a preliminary prior art processing stepin forming the DRAM construction of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of the FIG. 2 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view of the FIG. 2 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that of FIG. 2 and alternative to the idealized processingstep of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional, fragmentary view of asemiconductor wafer fragment processed according to a method of thepresent invention.

FIG. 6 is a view of the FIG. 5 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view of the FIG. 5 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional view of a semiconductor waferfragment processed according to a second embodiment method of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9 is a view of the FIG. 8 wafer fragment at a processing stepsubsequent to that of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a scanning electron micrograph of a prior art semiconductorwafer fragment that has been subjected to an etching condition.

FIG. 11 is a scanning electron micrograph of a semiconductor waferfragment encompassed by the present invention that has been subjected tothe same etching condition as the FIG. 10 wafer fragment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of theconstitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progressof science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).

The present invention encompasses methods of providing carbon within amaterial to decrease an etch rate of the material. For instance, thepresent invention encompasses methods of incorporating carbon within amaterial to decrease an etch rate of the material as it is subjected toan anisotropic dry etching process. In a specific embodiment, the carboncan be provided within a first material to increase a selectivity of anetch of a second material relative to the first material. Exemplarymaterials within which carbon can be provided are silicon nitride andsilicon oxide (such as, for example silicon dioxide or BPSG).

The carbon can be introduced in the form of a carbon-containing gasprovided as a precursor during chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of thematerial within which carbon is desired. Such carbon-containing gas cancomprise, for example, one or more of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS),bis-(tertiary butyl amino)silane (BTBAS), methane, carbon dioxide, orcarbon tetrachloride. In an exemplary application wherein carbon isincorporated into silicon nitride, the silicon nitride can be formed bychemical vapor deposition utilizing dichlorosilane and ammonia, at atemperature of from about 300° C. to about 750° C. and a pressure offrom about 50 mTorr to about 2 Torr, and in the presence of anabove-discussed carbon-containing gas. In alternative embodiments of theinvention, the carbon can be introduced into a material as a carbonimplant.

In embodiments in which carbon is incorporated into an insulativematerial, it is preferably incorporated in an amount of from about 2% toabout 20% (by weight), with from about 10% to about 15% being morepreferred, and about 10% being yet more preferred. If more than 20%carbon is incorporated into an insulative material, the carbon candegrade insulative properties of the material by forming “leaky holes”extending through the material.

In materials comprising silicon, such as, for example, silicon nitrideand silicon oxide, the incorporated carbon can be in the form of siliconcarbide (SiC). However, it is noted that this disclosure is to belimited only by the claims that follow, and not by any particular formof incorporated carbon, except to the extent that such is expresslyidentified in a claim.

The incorporation of carbon into a material can reduce an etch rate ofthe material by a factor of five or more. In an exemplary applicationwherein an etch method has a selectivity for silicon oxide relative tosilicon nitride of about 2:1 without carbon in the silicon nitride,incorporation of carbon into the nitride layer can increase theselectivity to at least about 10:1. The increase in selectivity occursthrough a decrease in the etch rate of silicon nitride. Specifically,prior art methods selective for silicon oxide relative to siliconnitride generally will etch silicon nitride at a rate of at least 10 Åper second. In contrast, incorporation of carbon into the siliconnitride in accordance with the present invention can decrease the etchrate of the silicon nitride to less than or equal to about 5 Å persecond while using an otherwise identical selective etch process as theprior art. In preferred exemplary applications, the present inventioncan decrease the etch rate of the silicon nitride to less than or equalto about 2 Å per second, and in more preferred exemplary applications toabout 1.8 Å per second.

While this disclosure is not to be limited to any particular mechanismexcept to the extent that such is recited in the claims, it is notedthat a possible mechanism by which the incorporation of the carbonspecies can increase process selectivity is to increase an activationenergy required by an etching process.

An advantage of the relatively high activation energy films of thepresent invention relative to the lower activation energy films of theprior art is that lower activation energy films generally require moreselective processes than do higher activation energy films. Asprocessing conditions become more highly selective, the processingconditions tend become less stable. Accordingly, since the carbonincorporation of the present invention can enable less selectiveprocessing conditions to be utilized to accomplish similar results asobtained in the prior art utilizing more highly selective processingconditions, the present invention can enable more robust processingconditions to be utilized than were utilized in the prior art. Also, thepresent invention can increase a “process window”, to further increasestability of processing conditions. In other words, the carbonincorporation of the present invention can enable a selective process tooccur across a broader range of conditions than such process would occuracross utilizing prior art methods.

Another advantage of the increased etch selectivity that can beaccomplished by methods of the present invention is that it can enableetch stop layers to be made thinner. Specifically, a silicon nitrideetch stop layer 32 of FIGS. 1-3 is typically formed to a thickness of atleast about 2,000 Angstroms. A reason for the thickness of layer 32 isto compensate for over-etching of the nitride layer 32 that may occur ina selective oxide etch. The enhanced selectivity that can beaccomplished by methods of the present invention can enable suchthickness to be reduced to less than or equal to about 500 Angstromswithout increasing a risk of over-etch. Reduction of the thickness oflayer 32 can provide additional room for capacitor constructions (suchas constructions 36 and 38 of FIG. 1) in a DRAM structure, enabling morecharge to be stored over a given area of semiconductor wafer real estatethen is achievable by the prior art method described above withreference to FIGS. 1-3.

A method of the present invention is described with reference to FIGS.5-7. Referring to FIG. 5, a semiconductive wafer fragment 100 comprisesa substrate 112 having wordlines 120 and 122 formed thereover. Spacers128 and 130 extend along sidewalls of wordlines 120 and 122,respectively. Substrate 112, wordlines 120 and 122, and spacers 128 and130 can comprise constructions identical to those discussed above forsubstrate 12, wordlines 20 and 22, and spacers 28 and 30 of the priorart. Node locations 114, 116 and 118 are provided between the wordlinesand can comprise constructions identical to those discussed aboveregarding node locations 14, 16, and 18 of the prior art.

An etch stop layer 132 is formed over substrate 112 and over wordlines120 and 122. In accordance with an aspect of the present invention etchstop layer 132 has carbon incorporated therein. Etch stop layer 132 cancomprise, for example, silicon oxide or silicon nitride, and can consistessentially of silicon, nitrogen and carbon, or can consist essential ofsilicon, oxygen and carbon. For purposes of the discussion that follows,etch stop layer 132 will be referred to as a silicon nitride layer.Portions 115 of nitride layer 132 extend along sidewall spacers 128 and130. Silicon nitride layer 132 can be formed to a thickness of less thanor equal to about 500 Å, and can be formed by, for example, chemicalvapor deposition of silicon nitride in the presence of BTBAS.Specifically, silicon nitride layer 132 can be deposited in a chemicalvapor deposition reactor having a pressure of from about 50 mTorr toabout 10 Torr, a temperature of from about 575° C. to about 750° C., aflow rate of SiH₄ of from about 0 to about 500 sccm, a flow rate of NH₃of from about 0 to about 2000 sccm, and a flow rate of BTBAS of fromabout 0 to about 500 sccm, to form silicon nitride layer 132 having fromabout 2% to about 20% carbon incorporated (by weight).

Referring to FIG. 6, a layer of BPSG 134 is formed over silicon nitridelayer 132 and an opening 162 is etched into BPSG layer 134 to stop atsilicon nitride layer 132. Sides of opening 162 are aligned withportions 115 of nitride layer 132 that extend along sidewall spacers 128and 130. BPSG layer 134 and opening 162 can be formed by methodsdiscussed above with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 in the backgroundsection of this disclosure. The carbon incorporated within siliconnitride layer 132 can provide a selectivity of the etch of BPSG materialof layer 134 relative to the silicon nitride material of layer 132 togreater than 5:1, and preferably to greater than 10:1. Such selectivitycan decrease a risk of the over-etch problems illustrated in FIG. 4 ofthe background section of this disclosure relative to the risk thatexists with prior art methods. The decreased risk of over-etch problemsaccomplished by carbon incorporation within silicon nitride layer 132enables layer 132 to be formed thinner than the etch stop layer 32utilized in the prior art constructions of FIGS. 1-3. Accordingly, therecan be more space above layer 132 for circuit constructions. Also, theincorporation of carbon within layer 132 enables etch selectivity to beobtained even if layer 134 is very thin before the etch. Specifically,layer 134 can be less than 1.3 microns thick before the etch and etchselectivity can still be obtained.

After the selective etch to expose nitride layer 132, further processingcan be utilized to extend opening 162 to node 116. Such furtherprocessing can include a silicon nitride etch, such as, for example, hotphosphoric acid.

Subsequently, a bit line contact similar to the bit line contact 46 ofprior art FIG. 1 can be formed within opening 162. Also, furtherprocessing can be conducted to form capacitor constructions similar toconstructions 36 and 38 of prior art FIG. 1 to complete a DRAM structurefrom the construction of FIG. 6. Such DRAM structure is shown in FIG. 7,with components analogous to those of FIG. 1 labeled with integers 100units larger than the integers utilized in FIG. 1. The DRAM structure ofFIG. 7 comprises capacitor constructions 136 and 138. Such constructionscomprise storage node layers 140, dielectric layers 142 and secondelectrodes 144. Capacitor constructions 136 and 138 can be larger thancapacitor constructions 36 and 38 of FIG. 1, even though the DRAMconstruction of FIG. 8 occupies a same amount of wafer real estate asthe DRAM construction of FIG. 1, due to increased area available bysilicon nitride layer 132 being thinner than prior art silicon nitridelayer 32 of FIG. 1.

Another embodiment of the present invention is described with referenceto FIGS. 8 and 9. Such embodiment comprises forming carbon withinsidewall spacers to decrease an etch rate of the spacers relative to anoverlying insulative layer. Referring to FIG. 8, a semiconductive wafer200 comprises a substrate 212 and overlying wordlines 220 and 222. Nodelocations 214, 216 and 218 are between wordlines 220 and 222. Substrate212, wordlines 220 and 222, and node locations 214, 216 and 218 cancomprise constructions discussed in the background section of thisembodiment for prior art substrate 12, wordlines 20 and 22, and nodelocations 14, 16, and 18, respectively.

Sidewall spacers 228 and 230 extend along sidewalls of wordlines 220 and222, respectively. Spacers 228 and 230 comprise a material having carbonincorporated therein, and can comprise, for example, silicon nitride orsilicon dioxide having carbon incorporated therein. Spacers 228 and 230can also consist essentially of carbon and either silicon nitride orsilicon oxide. Exemplary spacers 228 and 230 comprise silicon dioxidewith carbon incorporated therein to a concentration of from about 2% toabout 20% (by weight). Such spacers can be formed by, for example,chemical vapor deposition utilizing bis(tertiary butyl amino) silane andNH₃.

An insulative material 234 is formed over wordlines 220 and 222, andover spacers 228 and 230. Layer 234 can comprise, for example, BPSG. Adifference between the construction of FIG. 8 and the prior artconstructions of FIGS. 1-3 (discussed in the background section of thisdisclosure) is that the construction of FIG. 8 does not have an etchstop layer (shown as layer 32 in FIGS. 1-3) provided over wordlines 220and 222.

An opening 262 is etched through layer 234 and to substrate 212. Theopening is aligned relative to sidewalls 228 and 230 proximate substrate212. In a particular aspect of the present invention, insulative layer234 comprises BPSG and sidewalls 228 and 230 comprise silicon dioxide.In this aspect of the invention, a first silicon oxide layer (BPSG layer234) is etched selectively relative to a second silicon oxide layer (thelayer of one or both of spacers 228 and 230) by virtue of carbonincorporation into the second silicon oxide layer.

Referring to FIG. 9, wafer fragment 200 can be processed according tomethods similar to those discussed above with reference to FIG. 1 in thebackground section of the first invention to produce a DRAMconstruction. The DRAM construction of FIG. 9 is labeled similarly tothat of FIG. 1, with components analogous to those of FIG. 1 labeledwith integers 200 units larger than the integers utilized in FIG. 1.

The DRAM construction of FIG. 9 comprises capacitors 236 and 238.Capacitors 236 and 238 can be larger than the capacitors 36 and 38 ofFIG. 1, even though the DRAM construction of FIG. 8 occupies a sameamount of wafer real estate as the DRAM construction of FIG. 1, due tothe elimination of an etch stop layer (the etch stop layer 32 of FIG.1).

Further, even if an etch stop layer is present, sidewall spacers 128 and130 can be thinner than prior art spacers 28 and 30 (FIG. 1) to provideadditional room for capacitor constructions. Specifically, a function ofthe prior art sidewall spacers 28 and 30 can be to provide a barrier inthe event that protective layer 32 is etched through during processingto form opening 62 (FIG. 2). As the sidewall spacers 228 and 230 aremore resistant to etch than prior art sidewall spacers 28 and 30,sidewall spacers 228 and 230 can be formed thinner than prior artsidewall spacers 28 and 30 and still form an effective barrier againstetch through. For instance, prior art sidewall spacers 28 and 30 wouldtypically be formed to a thickness of at least about 900 (the“thickness” being defined as an amount by which the spacers extendoutwardly (horizontally in FIG. 1) from the sidewalls of the wordlines),and sidewall spacers 228 and 230 can be formed to a thickness of lessthan or equal to about 500. The thinner sidewall spacers 228 and 230 canprovide additional room for capacitor constructions 236 and 238 relativeto the room available for capacitor constructions 36 and 38 of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 10 and 11 are scanning electron micrographs comparing a prior artsemiconductor wafer fragment (FIG. 10) and a present inventionsemiconductor wafer fragment (FIG. 11) subjected to identical etchingconditions. Specifically, FIG. 10 illustrates a wafer fragmentcomprising a sidewall spacer of silicon dioxide and having less than 2%carbon incorporated therein. In contrast, FIG. 11 illustrates asemiconductive wafer fragment comprising a sidewall spacer havinggreater than 2% carbon incorporated therein (specifically about 10%). Ascan be seen in comparing FIGS. 10 and 11, the method of the presentinvention has significantly reduced etching into the sidewall spacer. Infact, no etching is apparent in the FIG. 11 semiconductive waferprocessed according to a method of the present invention, whereassignificant sidewall etching is apparent in the prior art FIG. 10semiconductive wafer fragment.

In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described inlanguage more or less specific as to structural and methodical features.It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited tothe specific features shown and described, since the means hereindisclosed comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms ormodifications within the proper scope of the appended claimsappropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine ofequivalents.

We claim:
 1. A capacitor forming method, comprising: forming a wordlineover a substrate, the wordline having a sidewall; forming an insulativespacer along the sidewall; forming an etch stop layer over the wordlineand over the insulative spacer; at least one of the etch stop layer andthe insulative spacer comprising a material which includes carbon,oxygen and silicon; the carbon being present in said material to aconcentration of from about 2% to about 20% (by weight); forming aninsulative layer over the etch stop layer; etching through theinsulative layer to the etch stop layer to form an opening through theinsulative layer; and forming a capacitor construction comprising astorage node, dielectric layer and second electrode, at least a portionof the capacitor construction being within the opening.
 2. The method ofclaim 1 wherein the sidewall spacer comprises the material whichincludes silicon, oxygen and carbon.
 3. The method of claim 1 whereinthe etch stop layer comprises the material which includes silicon,oxygen and carbon.
 4. A capacitor forming method, comprising: forming awordline over a substrate, the wordline having a sidewall; forming aninsulative spacer along the sidewall; forming an etch stop layer overthe wordline and over the insulative spacer; at least one of the etchstop layer and the insulative spacer comprising a material whichincludes carbon, nitrogen and silicon; forming an insulative layer overthe etch stop layer; etching through the insulative layer to the etchstop layer to form an opening through the insulative layer; and forminga capacitor construction comprising a storage node, dielectric layer andsecond electrode, at least a portion of the capacitor construction beingwithin the opening.
 5. The method of claim 4 wherein the etch stop layercomprises the material which includes silicon, nitrogen and carbon. 6.The method of claim 4 wherein: the etch stop layer comprises thematerial which includes silicon, nitrogen and carbon; and the sidewallspacer consists essentially of silicon and oxygen.
 7. The method ofclaim 1 wherein: the etch stop layer consists essentially of silicon andnitrogen; and the sidewall spacer comprises the material which includessilicon, oxygen and carbon.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein thematerial consists essentially of silicon, oxygen and carbon.
 9. Themethod of claim 4 wherein the material consists essentially of silicon,nitrogen and carbon.
 10. A capacitor forming method, comprising: forminga wordline over a substrate; defining a node proximate the wordline;forming an etch stop layer over the wordline, the etch stop layercomprising a material which includes carbon, oxygen and silicon; thecarbon being present in said material to a concentration of from about2% to about 20% (by weight); forming an insulative layer over the etchstop layer; etching through the insulative layer to the etch stop layerto form an opening through the insulative layer; and forming a capacitorconstruction comprising a storage node, dielectric layer and secondelectrode, at least a portion of the capacitor construction being withinthe opening.
 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising etchingthrough the etch stop layer and to the node proximate the wordline priorto forming the capacitor construction.
 12. The method of claim 10wherein the etch stop layer consists essentially of the material whichincludes silicon, oxygen and carbon.
 13. A capacitor forming method,comprising: forming a wordline over a substrate; defining a nodeproximate the wordline; forming an etch stop layer over the wordline,the etch stop layer comprising a material which includes nitrogen,oxygen and silicon; forming an insulative layer over the etch stoplayer; etching through the insulative layer to the etch stop layer toform an opening through the insulative layer; and forming a capacitorconstruction comprising a storage node, dielectric layer and secondelectrode, at least a portion of the capacitor construction being withinthe opening.
 14. The method of claim 13 wherein the etch stop layerconsists essentially of the material which includes silicon, nitrogenand carbon.
 15. The method of claim 11 wherein the carbon is present inthe material to a concentration of from about 10% to about 15% (byweight).
 16. The method of claim 10 wherein the carbon is present in thematerial to a concentration of from about 10% to about 15% (by weight).17. The method of claim 4 wherein the carbon is present in the materialto a concentration of from about 2% to about 20% (by weight).
 18. Themethod of claim 4 wherein the carbon is present in the material to aconcentration of from about 10% to about 15% (by weight).
 19. The methodof claim 13 wherein the carbon is present in the material to aconcentration of from about 2% to about 20% (by weight).
 20. The methodof claim 13 wherein the carbon is present in the material to aconcentration of from about 10% to about 15% (by weight).